Clay gun clamping mechanism



Sept. 8,1931. K. H. MGLAURIN 1,822,630

CLAY GUN CLAMPING MECHANISM 'Filed Dec. 24, 1930 5 ShGBtS-ShBBt l Sept.8, 1931. K. H. M LAURIN CLAY GUN CLAMPING MECHANISM Filed Dec. 24, 19503 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Sept. 8, 1931] UNITED STATES KING H. MCLAURIN,OF DUQUESNE, PENNSYLVANIA- CLAY GUN CLAMPINGMECHANISM,

Application filed December 24, 1930. Serial No. 504,585.

In blast furnace operations it is common practice to suspend the claygun for plugging the iron notch or tap hole on a radius arm or boom, thegun being swung into position and T f clamped securely in place beforethe plugging operation is startedto brace the gun against rebound orreactions set up when the gun is discharged. The clamping arms. orlevers are usually primarily actuated by means of a 7 19 power cylinder,and the time required toefl'ect the clamping of the gun is directlyproportional to thelength of the piston stroke. With certain types ofcylinders, such as the oil-operated type, delay is expe rienced due tothe comparativelysslow movement of the piston, and as will be understood7 by those havinga knowledge of the art, it is desirable to effect theclamping operation as expeditiously as possible.

The present invention provides means in the form of cooperating levermechanism adapted to operate between the power cyl-. inder or primemover and the clay gun clamp- I M ing arms which multiples the stroke ofthe piston and at the same time applies the pressure to the clampingarms during the termination of the piston stroke when the most effectiveleverage is obtained and at which time I the said arms are under load,thereby permitting the employment of a C P Y short-stroke prime moverand greatly reducing the time required for clamping the gun 1n pluggingposition and increasing the force available for a given cylinderpressure. The mechanism is simple in construction and operation and maybe readily installed in connection with the usual type of clay gun andits appurtenances.

Other objects and advantages Wlll become more apparent in view ofthefollowmg description taken in conjunction with the drawings, whereinFigure 1 is a View in side elevation of mechanism embodying the featuresof the 1n- Vention.

Figure 2 is a plan view of parts. shown in Figure 1.

The reference numeral 5 designates a clay gun of the conventional typewhich is shown suspended from a boom 6 attached to the furnace column 7,the gun beingswung into poslt on either manually or automatically whenplugging is desired, to bring its nozzle into position relatively to theiron notchor tap shaft 10, the latter being mounted at oppositeextremities in. bearing brackets 11' attached to columns 7 and 7 theinvention being primarily concerned with theioperation ofthese clampingarms 9, as will be understood. r

'The shaft 10 and consequently the arms 9 are primarily actuated by apowercylinder 12, which is mounted to turn or swing bodily in an arcuatepath on a swivel pin 13 carried by a bearing bracket which may besecured to the column 7. The cylinder 12 is provided with apiston 14 anda piston rod 15,-an eye 16 being adj ustably mounted on the lower end ofsaid rod and carrying a guide pin 17. This guide pin 17 is adapted fortravel in slots 18 formed in a pair of guide plates 19 and also in slots20 formed in a forked operating lever 21, the said plates being framedtogether in parallel relation by means of shouldered bolts 22. Theseplates are supported in fixed position by "the shaft 10, which passesthrough the lower end corner portion of said plates, and an adjustableeye bolt 23, which is adjustably mounted in a bracket 24 secured to thecolumn 7; while the lever 21 is keyed to the end of shaft 10 andoperates between the plates 19. The adjustable eye 16 is fitted to slidebetween the inner faces of the fork of the operating lever 21.

It will be noted that the slots 18 in the fixed plates 19 are inclineddownwardly to their outermost extremities, where they turn abruptly atan approximate ninety degree angle,-while the radial movement of theforked operating lever 21 is transmitted di rcctly to the clamping arms9 through shaft 2 10, thetgun 5 being provided with contact members 25with which the clamping arms cooperate in clamping the, said gun inplugging position. I p v The operation of themechanism will be readilyunderstood. Assuming that the clampingarms 9 are in their uppermostposition, the piston 14 will then be at the top of the cylinder 12 readyfor its forward or clownward stroke. when power or fluid pressure isapplied to the cylinder 12, the guide pin 17 is guided in the pathformed by the inclined slots 18, which causes the end of the piston rod15 to swing laterally more rapidlythan it can move downwardly, while theguide pin 17 carries with it thelever 21, producing a comparativelyrapid partialrevolution ofthe shaft 10 under no load and acorrespondingly rapid action of the clampingarms9, which reach the pointof contact 25 on the clay gun 5 when the guide pin 17-is atthetermination of the inclined portion of the slots 18. The load-is nowbeing applied on the clamping arms=9, and the guide pin 17-moves at-anangle ofapproximately ninety degrees to its initial path and thepressure of the piston is exerted directly 011 the end of theoperatinglever-21, thus producing maximum pressure ofithe elampingarms 9on the contact members 25. The cylinder pressure is thus applied totheclamping arms whenthe most efiective leverage -is obtained, greatlyincreasing the force available for a given cylinder displacemenuand saidarms are swung rapidly into clan'iping position while emiploying acomparatively short piston stroke, thereby greatly reducing the timerequired forthe clamping operation.

*VVhat I claim as newis -1. "Clamping mechanism for clay guns,comprisingmovable clamping arms movable to and fromaposition ofengagement with the gun, a primemoveritor said arms, andmeansinterposedfbetween said primemover and said arms for transmittingpressure thereto i11- directly whileunder no load and direct pres- .surethereto when the clamping load is applied the loadpressurebeing appliedat substantially right angles to the no-load pressure.

2. Clamping mechanism for clay guns, comprisingunovable clamping armsmovable to and from a position'of engagement with the gun, primemovingmeans for said arms comprising a 'pivotally mounted fluid pressurecylinder, a piston in said cylinder and a-rod connected to said-piston,and means cooperating with said rod for guiding said cylinderinanarcuate path before the cylinder is delivering load pressure, thecylinder reaching the end of its arcuate travel when the load isapplied.

3. Clampingmechanism'for clay guns, comprising movable clamping armsmovable to and fromaposition of engagement with the gun, a prime moverforsaid arms, and means interposed between said prime mover and saidarms :for multiplyingthe strokeof said prime mover.

4. Clampmgmechamsm for clay guns, comprising movable clamping armsmovable to and from a position of engagement with the gun, apivotally-mounted fluid pressure cylinder for said arms, a piston insaid cylinder and a rod connected to said piston, and means for guidingthe head oi said rod laterally in aninclined plane when the pistonisdeliver ing no-load pressure and at substantially right angles to saidplane when the piston is under load.

5. Clamping mechanisinfor clay guns, com- ,prisingclamping arms movableto and from a position of engagement with the gun, a pivotallyanounted.fluid pressure cylinder for said arms, a piston in said cylinder and arod connected to saidypiston and a slotted member .-cooperatingWViiJllgSfiid XFOd for guiding thehead'oirthe ilatter laterallyiin aninclined plane when the piston 1. isrdelivering pressure under 'no loadand at substantially rightangles toisaid plane .when the pistoiiis-deliv- .ering pressureundenload.

G. Clamping mechanism for clay guns, comprising clamping arms movable toand from a position of engagement with the gun, a shafton which saidarms are mounted, a slotted lever! connected to said shaft, a-slottedmember cooperating with lever, and apivotally-mounted fluid pressuremeans having an operative connection ,withsaid lever and also withsaid.slottedmember.

7. Clamping mechanism for yclay i guns, comprising clamping ;a-rmsimovable ,to and from a position of engagement with-the gun, a shafton-which said arms aremounted, a slotted :leverconnectedto said shaft, apivotally-mounted'fluid pressure cylinder-provided with a piston and apiston rocbhaving a head mounted to travelin the slotiof said-lever, andmeans for guiding-said head in such apath as to vary the mechanicaladvantage'of said lever during the stroke of said piston.

8. Clamping mechanism for clay guns, comprising clamping arms movablegto and troma position of engagement withthe-gun, a shaft on whichsaidarmsare mounted,a lever connected-to said shaft,and means forapplying initial angular pressure and final direct pressure tosaidllever.

9. Clamping mechanism for clay :guns comprising clamping arms,-a shafton which said arms are mounted, a slotted'lever connected to said shaft,at least one slotted guide member mounted adjacent said lever and apivotally-mounted fluid pressure cylinder provided with a piston andpiston rodhaving a head provided with means forits guidance ibythe slotsofsaid lever and saidguideanember.

;10. Clamping mechanism for clay ,guns comprising clamping arms, a shaftonwhich said armsare mounted, a slotted leverconnected to said shaft, aslotted fixed guide means mounted adjacent said layer and a means.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

KING H; MGLAURIN.

